March: A Month of Expectation. The new month brings the expectation of warmer and more sunny weather, the blooming of new flowers, trees budding, and wearing lighter, more colorful clothes each day. March tends to bring all of these things and, while they seem small, they serve a crucial purpose when considering mood and behavior, especially amidst the uncertain times we are all living in right now. While we are self-quarantining and sheltering at home, let us consider that springtime invites an uplifting attitude that is undeniable when the sun is finally shining again.
While schools typically benefit from this lift in morale, this year our students and teachers are not able to be together to welcome spring to our playgrounds and through our open classroom windows. Feelings of restlessness tend to be overwhelming to people working in schools as they spend long days in offices or classrooms when it is so nice outside and everyone wants to be enjoying the weather. As students learn at home with their families and teachers and school leaders work to provide instruction and support from afar, consider some additional “behavior support” that families may need as they work to keep their children engaged in learning as spring begins to try to lure us all back outside. Consider helping families implement some outdoor learning activities provided by the schools, so long as they maintain the recommended social distancing norms.
As caregivers move into the role of supporting and monitoring instruction in the days and weeks to come, they may need some additional classroom management tips and tricks in addition to the lessons planned by the teachers.
In the article “Setting Consistent Expectations to Improve Student Behavior” by Eric Hathaway five ways to communicate clear expectations are explained. Even though students, teachers, and families may be distracted by the springtime sun, here are five ways to tackle distractions and maintain high productivity in working to improve overall behavior. Caregivers can implement these 5 strategies to help keep their student/s on track while learning at home:
Define expectations for behavior. This includes rewards and consequences!
Clearly communicate expectations to everyone in the family. Ensure that siblings and other family members know the routine for schoolwork and honor each other’s schedules to maximize the learning opportunity.
Model the expectations for the student/s. It’s important that they see the caregivers putting these same expectations into action.
Track behavior on a daily basis. Also, utilize rewards and consequences with consistency. Try to focus on rewards during times of stress, as the student/s are likely feeling the effects of the uncertain times in ways that they may not be comfortable or able to express.
Reinforce expectations and set up predictable routines for schoolwork, screentime, outdoor time (with social distancing observed). Review the expectations as the need arises.
Learning at home can be difficult so encourage families to reach out for assistance as needed. And be sure to check in on your most vulnerable families to help them through the difficult transitions associated with the closings of schools across the country.
If you need additional resources or support, let TimeRedesigned help. We have training on Effective Virtual Communication, Teaching and Learning Remotely, as well as tips and strategies for maintaining efficiencies even in the face of numerous distractions. Time ReDesigned can assist in reminding you when to check in, how to record results, and to always keep track of progress- as progress is sure to be made! Email us if you are interested in learning more about the support we have available for transitioning to a virtual environment! timeredesigned@gmail.com
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